Home Network Help

[jcrosby]

Hi I am trying to set up a Home network and need some help. I have a computer in my room and a computer in our study room. We would like to network them and have print sharing and broadband for both pcs. Also I have a laptop that I would like to be able to use WIRELESSLY on the same network and also have print sharing. Can ya help?

Thanks Jeff
jeffc@ypcorp.com

[jamesrpm]

check out the tutorials here , they are on the left side of the page

http://www.practicallynetworked.com/

[jcrosby]

Well that site helped but can someone explain something to me. Let say my network is as follows. I have my cable modem connected to my router, then i have both pc's connected to my router. On ocassion I will use a laptop on this network. What will I need to buy to make this possiable.

[Confused]

If you go wired it will require a NIC in each PC using a straight thru cable back to the router. You mention 3 PC's, so you would need a 4 port router.

If you go wireless it will require a router and a wireless NIC in each PC. Distance and obstructions can affect signal strength. Also some cordless phones can affect signal.

If you decide on wireless get one that also has wired ports since you will probably have one setting next to your modem anyway.
Chas

[jcrosby]

What if I want the two desktops to be wired and the laptop wireless?

[el_novato]

You would have to buy a router that has wireless capabilities and a wireless LAN PCMCIA card for your laptop. Or you can buy a wired LAN PCMCIA card and connect it to the router whenever you needed to. But that would defeat the whole purpose of the laptop.

[jcrosby]

Thank You all

[Confused]

Originally posted by jcrosby What if I want the two desktops to be wired and the laptop wireless?

Read my last paragraph. "wired ports"
Chas

[jcrosby]

Please If anyone has anything to add leave it for me thanks!

[sdt211]

Just something to try. OK for cable (assuming you have not bought anything yet) go out and get a Linksys boardband wireless-g router. It comes with 4 ports to go "wired" and of course it is an access point so that you can go wireless. The Linksys comes with some pretty good instructions and is pretty easy to set up. Even though this router can step down to wireless-b and lower you probably should stick with a wireless-g pcmcia card (for the laptop). You can get wireless nics for your desktops as well, but I know I've had better luck going wired on desktops. If you go with what I suggested and you are running Win XP, make sure you run the software that comes with the wireless pcmcia card and do not use the Windows wizard. Be prepared to wrap up about $200.00 and up into this set up or just about any other set that you end up getting. Good Luck

[glc]

If you already have a router that is wired-only, you can buy a wireless access point to plug into the router.